The best roguelike mobile games to master on Mistplay

Roguelike games have been testing players since 1980, when the original text-based dungeon crawler Rogue popularized procedurally generated levels and permadeath. The genre’s exploded since then with big titles like Archero and Vampire Survivors, games that challenge players with fast-paced, high-intensity mechanics and a distinct arcade feel. 

If you prefer to game on your phone, don’t worry — these titles aren’t just for console and PC. The best roguelike mobile games available today put this loop straight in your pocket so you can play whenever you have a few minutes of downtime.

When you play a roguelike game, every run’s different and every death teaches you something. But when you play through Mistplay¹, every minute also builds up points you can exchange for gift cards. Dive into dungeons and master tricky gameplay, and you’ll be earning real rewards in the background.

Read on for the best roguelike games for iOS and Android. And all five are available on Mistplay so you can get even more out of each run.

5 best roguelike games on Mistplay 

Here are some of the best roguelikes to try on Mistplay. Keep in mind that the titles in our list fit into the “roguelite” subgenre. These games are popular because they feature permadeath mechanics but provide meta-progression. This means you carry abilities, items, and collectables into new runs — as well as gaining valuable points toward gift cards.

Survival roguelites 

These action games are part of the “Bullet Heaven” trend where players must battle huge numbers of enemies using a rain of projectiles. They’re fast paced, offering satisfying gameplay in quick sessions.

1. Survivor.io 

Survivor.io is a roguelite shooter where you explore a city overrun by zombies and see how long you last. Auto-attack while you use one-handed controls to weave between the hordes. Pick up combat skills and level up as you complete each run — or die trying. Each life gives you the chance to experiment with different weapons, and the more you progress, the harder it gets.

2. Vampire Survivors 

Vampire Survivors is a massively popular game available across consoles, PC, and devices. It has the classic roguelite experience: casual, one-finger character control, automatic weapons, and hordes of enemies. This roguelike game has you battling monsters for 30 minutes, and each wave gets more difficult. Start with simple weaponry, and pick up gold as you fight, spending it on new abilities and characters to optimize your strategy.

3. Pickle Pete: Survivor 

In this game, you play as Pickle Pete — yes, a pickle — who explores a post-apocalyptic world with an arsenal of over 80 weapons. Fight zombies and skeletons with thrill-a-minute auto-shooter gameplay, earning upgrades like outfits and new characters, like hotdogs and corn.

Pickle Pete: Survivor is one of the best roguelike games — Android and iOS — because it has a little bit of everything. Fight through bosses and high-density swarms to succeed. Did we mention the lighthearted, quirky graphics?

Dungeon shooters 

Dungeon shooters still have fast-paced shooting with permadeath, but instead of surviving endless waves of attacks, you move through procedurally generated dungeons, room by room.

1. Archero 

In Archero, you’ll crawl through chapter-based dungeons and fight off colorful, fantasy-themed enemies. Play as the Lone Archer as you unlock upgrades and get a little further every time you die and restart. Unlock new skins along the way — personalize your archer as a centaur, tiger, or a regal monkey king. You’ll find fun power-ups, characters, and pets inside gacha chests, letting you bolster your approach in an engaging, random way.

2. Soul Knight 

Soul Knight lets players explore randomly generated dungeons packed with monsters in 2D top-down gameplay. It has a fun blend of sci-fi and fantasy gameplay, pitting sword-wielding knights against alien minions.

Collect weapons in Soul Knight— there are over 400 to find — and experiment with different combinations to help you survive. Unlock and upgrade heroes so you can defeat the bosses like twin dragon brothers or giant crystal crabs at the end of each level.

Other roguelike mobile games 

While these games aren’t on Mistplay, they’re worth considering if you love the roguelike genre. Here are a few options:

• Balatro: This poker-themed title is a unique card-based roguelike. Use tap controls to drag, drop, and swipe cards and build high-scoring hands. 
• Shattered Pixel Dungeon: A roguelike game featuring tile-based combat and permadeath. Choose from one of six hero classes, and battle monsters as you fight your way through over 25 levels.
• Crypt of the NecroDancer: The soundtrack dictates your movements and your enemy’s attacks in this unique roguelike title. Crawl dungeons to the beat of the music, and get sent back to the lobby every time you die. 
• Darkest Dungeon: This roguelike RPG game features side-scrolling gameplay and gothic art. It drops you 500 feet below earth’s surface, where you lead a group of heroes to fight not only enemies but also stress, famine, and sickness. 
• Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead: Survive a post-apolocalyptic world by scavenging and managing hunger and thirst in this open-world roguelike. The combat here is brutal, and you’ll face a variety of enemies, including zombies and huge insects. 
• All Who Wander: This dungeon crawler has 30 procedural levels and permadeath — classic for roguelike games. Each run is a new experience, where you have to attack the monsters efficiently and gather skills and items to navigate different biomes.

Play the best roguelike mobile games on Mistplay 

With roguelike mobile games, you’re always learning, even when you lose. Getting overwhelmed by zombies or taken down by a mighty dragon teaches you something for the next run.

On Mistplay, this loop gives you more than knowledge and power-ups. Every run you play on titles like Survivor.io and Vampire Survivors earns you points. Play your way, and once you have enough, trade your points for gift cards to brands like Walmart, DoorDash, and Chipotle. 

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Download Mistplay on iOS and Android, and turn each dungeon adventure into valuable rewards.

‍¹Games mentioned are for illustrative purposes, and selection may vary per region.